It’s obvious that Sales and Marketing teams should work together. But at so many companies, that just doesn’t happen and the ‘war’ between the Sales and Marketing department can cause real problems. We’ve outlined some of the key issues Sales and Marketing teams face when working together, with some practical tips on how to get sales and marketing working together in a coordinated effort to achieve the ultimate goal: revenue.
Sales and Marketing need each other!
Without the efforts of the Marketing team, the Sales department won’t have a cohesive message to tell their clients and prospects. Every business has a ‘unique story’ which needs to be told in such a way that it make the business stand out from their competitors. Equally, the Sales team needs to believe in the story enough to be able to develop it so that it can be personalised to their client’s needs.
In an ideal world, Sales and Marketing work seamlessly as one unit to drive your business forward towards growth. According to MarketingProfs, organisations with tightly-aligned sales and marketing have 36% higher customer retention rates and achieved 38% higher sales win rates.
So how do you go about achieving sales and marketing harmony?
- Take joint responsibility. In lots of businesses, the two teams are given separate targets and KPIs. Effective Sales and Marketing teams have objectives which integrate together. This avoids the problem of the two departments pulling in different directions and having their own ‘agendas’. Setting clear objectives and measurements from the outset, is key to harmony and success.
- Ensure communication is clear and regular. With two teams come two sets of egos, both wanting to say that they made that ‘key’ decision. Regular meetings with a clear agenda and written minutes shared with your senior management team and the rest of the business will demonstrate that the two teams have a cohesive plan and are working for the benefit of the company – not fighting each other.
- Have clear roles. Ensure it’s clear where Marketing ends and Sales begins. Whilst Sales has to agree with the direction that Marketing is taking, it shouldn’t be writing the copy and briefing the design team. Equally, Marketing shouldn’t be leading Sales presentations or negotiating contracts. Whilst teams need to support each other, ensuring roles are clear makes life a lot easier.
- Learn together. Sales and Marketing teams must come together at regular intervals to discuss and investigate failures as well as celebrate successes. By listening and learning from each other, teams will build greater empathy and become much stronger.
At Ripley Training, we can help you put these tips into practice with expert Sales and Marketing training. In practice, these tips will need willing from both teams. We can help your teams come together and add real value back to your business with our Sales and Marketing courses.
Can we design a bespoke course for you?
We love to get under the skin of the businesses we work with, so we’d love to talk to you about how we can bring your Sales and Marketing teams together. If you’d like us to design a bespoke course for your Sales and Marketing team call us on 01423-861-122 or fill in our short contact form – we’d love to help you.
Blog Written by Mike Smith
